Technology in Primary Education. Robot Teachers?
Classrooms in the future will, without doubt change significantly through the continuing development of technology. From textbooks being replaced by iPads as a support for the teacher, to these teachers being replaced all together. But would you really want to be taught by a Robot?
Digital technology offers a fundamental threat toward the role of a teacher in a classroom, (Selwyn, 2011.)
Robotic teachers will have up to date methods and discoveries in the ways of teaching, allowing children instant and refreshed techniques when it comes to learning and teaching. Versus a human teacher, robots will be quick and accurate, sometimes this is lacked by teachers as they are obviously not expected to know everything.
The pre programming of a robot means that every child is receiving the same level of high quality education, all day every day. Robots do not tire so the frequent and high quality information being fed out is always there.
However this means that due to the possible lack of human interaction some children could be left behind through not understanding or lack of concentration. I begin to wonder how efficient the discipline from a robot can be?
Children will first be inspired or entranced by the novelty of having a robot in their classroom teaching them, but this leaves the possibility of misbehaviour and unruly classrooms. As much as a robot can try to create consequences, I believe it could harder to respect and listen to something non human once the novelty has worn off.
Robots are machines, they can not offer empathy, this empathy that would normally be supplied by a teacher is vital in child development within a primary setting, in order for the children to become well rounded and developed individuals. However robots have been seen to express human-like tendencies but it must be remembered that they are not human, ‘A robot that is too goof at emulating the behaviour of a human could lead to people to expect too much of it, and use it for educational purposes for which it is not well enough suited,’ (Sharkey, 2016.)
The cost for some schools could be more efficient to employ robots instead of teachers, but this isn’t a possibility for all. Payroll bills will likely go down and be a benefit to robots, the electricity and internet bills will surely increase. This cost will mean that these robot teachers will not only be rare within first world countries, the option will be highly unlikely within lesser economically developed countries.
For many children teachers are an inspiring source of knowledge and the relationship between them is what drives children to learn. This would be completely abolished with robot teachers being at the source of education. A robot teacher can not identify the struggling child or a child who may be struggling at home, they will see in black and white. This lack of emotion can not encourage, interact or develop relationships that are vital within education.
Robot teachers being widespread within classrooms will most likely not be something to happen relatively soon but it is a possibility in the future. This dramatic change would be a vital difference to the education system as we know it and would definitely take time to get used too.
References:
Selwyn, N. (2011). The Role of Technology in Teaching and the Classroom. Educating Technology.
Sharkey, A. (2016) Should We Welcome Robot Teachers? CrossMark: Online.
Picture:
newlearningtimes.com
Hi Ali, great blog! I really liked the fact that you raised a balanced argument on a topic that can be quite biased. I personally don't think that robots are capable of being the teachers of the future due to lack of empathy and costs. However, when completing my research for my blog I found some research evidence which pointed to the possibility that educational robots can help learners enhance their learning motivation and improve their learning performance (Chung et al., 2010; Mitnik, Recabarren, Nussbaum, & Soto, 2009). The reason I've shared this with you is because in future you feel robot teachers are a possibility. I was wondering what your thoughts would be if you were a child being taught by a robot teacher in future?
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